Mornings: Off to a GREAT start!

     I am not a morning person. Not that I am grouchy, but I cannot say I leap from my bed with happiness and abandon, eager to start my day. I think mornings can be difficult for most people, especially for those of us with children or spouses. Not only are you responsible for getting yourself out the door fully dressed, but there are others that rely on you as well.

     I have three children, one a teenager, the other two are tweens. I also have a husband. I am quite aware that my husband can get himself ready for the day all by himself, but I choose to take the time to make him breakfast and pack a few snacks for his busy day. To me, this is one way I can show him that I love and care about him. I homeschool my children as well as run a business out side my home, so we have a time crunch to get out the door by.

     In order to do all that I need to complete in a timely manner, some pre-planning must take place. Your morning can set the mood for the day and many times will make or break your day. I prefer to make my morning count. One important aspect is how you dress. Some of you may wear a uniform to work. In many ways you are lucky. There is really no thought process to a uniform other than, "Is it clean?" This can definately be a benefit.
If you do not wear a uniform to work, pick out your clothing the night before. This gives you time to think out what you want to wear, try it on if you are unsure if it fits properly or if it is new. You can check the weather to ensure that you are wearing something appropriate (Nothing like wearing a sleeveless shirt and a cold spell hits! )
     I like to lay out my clothes a week or so ahead of time. I take into account what is going on each day, what the weather will be, etc. I feel more prepared this way and can plan out my accessories, nail polish, etc. When you are wearing a well put together outfit, you will feel better about yourself and your day ahead. In the past I can remember wearing an outfit I put together spur of the moment. It was a little shorter than I thought it would be and I was  uncomfortable all day. I didn't want to run my errands and my day was not productive at all. Now, perhaps you would not feel this way, but I know how I am dressed and put together affects how I feel and affects my attitude.
This is also a good way to save time in the morning. You don't have to spend time choosing your clothes, looking for accessories, etc.


Plan your meals ahead of time. Not only does this help in your shopping, but also allows for the rest of the family to help. I am a big fan of Cozi. This is a website and also an app that allows the entire family to know what appointments are scheduled, meals are planned, shopping and to do lists, etc. It will sent text messages before appointments and menus can be printed out. I try to plan our menus a month ahead of time, print them out and post them on the refrigferator. I am able to see what we are having and know whether or not I need to thaw the meat out, start the crockpot etc. A menu also helps with your weekly shopping. You can purchase the items you actually need instead of things you think you might end, which many times ends up staying in your cabinet.

Get your school, work or day related items ready the night before. In my line of work i have ALOT of paperwork. there are many things I need to have printed out. I try to have these printed out the night before and in the purse I plan to carry the next day. This eliminates the frantic dash around the house to locate the papers you need or the incredibly long wait for the printer to print out the work you need.

A key factor in making this work for you is figuring out what you need to do each morning and how much time you want to dedicate to it.Write out everything you do each morning and determine what you can do ahead of time. Look to see if there are any things you could do later in the day or delegate to other family members.

If there are any great morning tricks you have learned along the way, please share them in the comment section! I love to learn new ways to create a great morning!

Here's to Happy Mornings!

OCDFAB

Introduction

     Ok, I confess, I've not always been the most organized person. I'm still not always the most organized person, but, I can organize like a pro! When I see the words "Storage" or "Organization" I feel drawn to that aisle, magazine, book, whatever. Perhaps it's the OCD in me, but I feel I need to constantly organize and put things in order.

     One key thing about organizing anything is determining what will work for you. Many times I find great ideas that are just that, Great Ideas. While it may be a fantastic way for one person to store or organize, it may not work for me or you. There are many determining factors, such as cost, space, time, need, etc. Ideas can grow from one thing into an entirely different thing all together. Ideas can inspire and create. When you look through my posts, keep in mind that these are ideas I have found that work for me. Feel free to tweek them to your needs and please, share what you have changed, added, etc to anything I have posted. It is nice to get feed back and additional input for others to glean from.

     I truly believe that an organized and well maintained living and working space will help create an organized and calm life. I hope I can help guide you to that place :)